Living in the Promise of Resurrection
“He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?””
This verse comes from John’s account of Mary Magdalene visiting Jesus’ tomb on Resurrection Sunday (Read the story in full in the gospel of John, verses 1-18). It’s hard to imagine the pain that Mary must be feeling when she hears the question in the verse. After the horrors of watching Jesus’ sham trial and brutal death, she returns to his grave on Sunday and finds the tomb open. She runs to get the others. Peter and John come and examine the scene as well. They leave confused, but Mary stays at the tomb in heartbroken despair. She speaks with the angels. Then, she has the miraculous encounter with the Risen Christ where He asks her this.
One aspect of the story of Jesus’ resurrection that makes it so powerful is that literally no one expects it, even though Jesus told them it was the plan multiple times. Mary is expecting to find death. Peter is expecting to find death. John is expecting to find death. So, when Jesus encounters Mary, the question cuts to the heart: “Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” It’s logical to feel how Mary feels. Her heart is broken because her beloved teacher is dead. She had seen him tortured, crucified, dead, and buried. She watched as Joseph and Nicodemus placed Him in the tomb. The thought that His enemies would subject Him to further insult and humiliation was too much to bear. She feels worse than defeated at that moment. Even though she witnessed resurrection when Jesus raised Lazarus, that experience didn’t teach her to expect resurrection from Jesus.
Is there somewhere in your life where your mind and heart are telling you to expect to find death? The world teaches us that death is the end, and often, if a story doesn’t end as we believe it should, we feel like there’s a defeat. As people of Jesus, we must teach our minds to look for victory instead of defeat. We should look for resurrection instead of death. The world saw a man overcome by His enemies, subjected to worldly authority, and killed as a demonstration of their power. God had always known that there was a bigger story being told. Jesus was never defeated. His friends and followers couldn’t understand it at the moment, but we do now. Disciples will always face difficult life circumstances such as relationship challenges, job crises, illnesses, and the deaths of those we love. Just like Mary, we will always feel the appropriate things during those moments. However, we must learn from her story. Can we learn to look past the expectation of death to live in the hope of a victorious resurrection?
This Easter season, let us bear witness to a radical love and hope that transforms the world around us. Sin is defeated! Death is defeated! As the classic hymn proclaims, “We serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today! We know that he is living whatever foes may say!” Jesus’ resurrection is not just a historical event, but a living reality that continues to transform lives and bring hope to the world.
Live victoriously, now and always!
Pastor Scott
